zetsuboū no sakura, budding
by shiroyuki42
Summary: A Dutch woman, Melissa van Rijn decides to go to japan to studie the samurai there. But its the year 1864, Japan is in turmoil. She is captured by the samurai opposing the westernizing of japan and is allowd to live with them as she wittnisses the bloody bakumatsu and the falling of the last samurai.
1. Chapter 1

Zetsuboū no sakura,

Chapter 0.1, Midori no oka (green hills)

As I stood there, watching the battel infront of me. I had the feeling I finaly understood Bushidoū, the way of the samurai, for the first time.  
>This battel cruel and jet beautiful, short and jet it felt like ages. Just like watching Sakura fall.<br>Kazama once told me " we samurai tend to live like sakura, short but we die in full bloom"  
>And it was true.<p>

It was 1867, the last year of the bakumatsu. And the last samurai where falling infront of me like sakura.


	2. Chapter 1 Fune船

Chapter 1, Fune (ship) 船

1864, 5 June,

Dear dairy reader,

After a year on sea I finaly arrived in the land of the rising sun. Japan, or as the Japanese people call her ,Nihon. I arrived with a Dutch ship called 'De Morgenster' The harbour we arrived in was called Osaka, from there I would travel to the Dutch embassy in Kyoto (a secret one because foreigner's or Gajin were not allowed outside Osaka). This country was in the middel of a war and I was here to write everything that happend down. I would study it from the rebel side of the war, the Ishin shishi. I was weapond with five empty diary's, a few notebooks,my basic japanese and a foto camera. Hopefully that would help me survive this war.

At the harbour I would be picked up by one of the Ishin Shishi samurai. I had no idea how he would look or how he would find me, but okay lets trust Mr Bruin. He was the one who made it possible to for me to go to Japan.  
>I walked of the ship onto the shore and looked around me. The harbour was buzzing with life. I saw Dutch an Japanese people trading with each other, and smiling together.<br>"Mrs van Rijn, I am your guide" I heard someone say in English .  
>I turned aroud to see a man around the age of fifty looking at me. The first thing a saw was the Katana at his hip " oh im sorry are you perhaps Mr Bruin friend" I said glad that he spoke English " yes, I am Sakuma Shōzan. A messenger on his trading ship informed me you would arrive with the next ship" Sakuma-san said I reached out my hand as to shake his and to introduce myself but he only looked weird at me.<br>"Eum.. my name is Melissa van Rijn" I said He then seemed to understand the gesture and took my hand "Nice to meet you, Melissa-san. Your luggage will be taken care of so please follow me" and he started to walk.  
>All people went out of the way for this old samurai. Dutch trademan looked in silence and full respect to him, japanese people bow to him as he walked past them. I quickly grabbed my notebook and started to write it down.<p>

{In this country pleople bow to the samurai when they walk by, unlike the knights in fedual Europe they demand a huge amound of respect. But the samurrai I encounterd, Sakuma Shōzan, does make an exemption for me, a western woman}

"Luckely you have brown hair, that won't stand out as mucht as blond" he said al of the sudden when we reached a huge storage shed. It was probably in use to store trading goods, but tonight a few younger samurai where standing there with lanterns and ther hands on ther katana.  
>When we approached them the younger samurai bowed in respect to Sakuma Shōzan and as custom described he gave them a littel bow back. I bowed as deep as I could while standing up.<br>This invoked some whisperung from the younger samurai.  
>I heard them say something about woman, baberian and not expected.<br>They than opend the door for us and we walked inside.

Inside it was dark and musty. It was stored with crates with who know what in it and if you listend carefully you could hear the rats tiptoe around.  
>"Sakuma-sama kochi desu" a female voice wishperd We walked behind one on the crates, only to reveal a small tent an a woman standing infront of it. When she saw me she looked strange at me and started to rattel someting in a nerveus voice.<br>"Sono ko otoko yanai, ona desuyo" she said "Hai sodesuka"  
>"Ah komarimasen, sumisasen Sakuma-sama"<br>Then he turned to me

Dear dairy, im noting it japanese sorry for that. But I want you to understand how wonderfull it sounds, and to let you imagination speak for youself.

Try to learn that's why im writhing ,Dear dairy reader.

And to my biggest suprise he said "There has been a problem, she tought it would be a man she had to dress up so she only brought male clothes" he said most concerned "That won't be a problem" I said. I didn't wanted to lose the change to study just because of a pair of clothes. So I stepped into the tent, the woman followd me and said in very broken English "Im Tae"  
>"Im Melissa" I said back After that she gave me a pair of cloths. She explained to me in japanese(after I explained to her I could underdstand a bit ) that the skirt like pants where called hakama and that it is normaly worn over a traditional kimono for man. It was worm by samuari en rurouni. The hakama was light brown and the kimono was dark red, with a white kimono underneat it. Afther I had put it on with her help (it is very hard to put it on. Right over left was the corect way to put on a kimono. Left over right was for the dead) I put on the tabi socks and stepped into the geta, Tae had put down for me.<p>

When I stepped out of the tent I could see Sakuma nod in agreement. Apparently it was good enough for him, but not for Tae. She grabbed my hair and put it in a ponytail ontop of my head. "Kampeki" she said "Kampeki dewanai" Sakuma said. And he grabbed a straw head from the head of one of the younger samurai standing besides him and placed it on my head. "Now your face is coverd" he said "lets go!" He yelled and everybody walked behind him, to the door.

When we stepped outside I saw it already had become dark. The stars where glittering in the night sky. And I couldn't help but think that even though it was the same sky as always, it looked compleatly different than the starry sky at home. I was asked to sit in a wooden carriage together with Sakuma. Tae didn't come with us. When we took of she yelled "Ganbate melissa san!"  
>"Arrigato!" I yelled back, watching the light blue of her kimono dissapear into the darkness of the night.<p>

Nyaaaa hello everyone.  
>How do you like the first chapter^^ If you like it please check my other story cold flame (ongoing)<br>Also I LOVE reviews.

Shiroyuki42~ 白有機


	3. Chapter 2 Miyako京都

Most of the characters in my story did lived and fought in the bakumatsu. Only melissa and Kazama and some of the smaller characters are fiction.

Chapter 2 Miyako font face="Nimbus Mono L, monospace"span lang="zh-CN"京都/span/font

1864, 7 June

I had arrived in Kyoto, It had cost us roughly ten houres to reach the inn I would stay in. The name of the inn was Ikedaya, it was a beautiful inn. I was given my own room at the upper floor of the inn and could look over a part of Kyoto. I could also wear my dark green western dress again. It was a three pieced dress. One long skirt, a kneelengt one over the long skirt and a neet jacked in the same coular dark green as the skirts. Black lines cirles around the end of my sleeves, neck and end of my long and short skirt. Black buttons closed the jacked. My long brown hair wich normally reached my hips was neatly bound in the ruling hairfashion of this time. The only thing I could not wear where my black leather low heel shoes. So I was walkimg around the inn on my socks. It gave me a strange feeling, I could feel the tatami mats underneat my feet. I was forbidden to go to grownd floor. In there were the regular customers and some of them were supporters of the Tokugawa shogunate. I was writing down the current situation in japan.

{right now there is a cearly feelable tension between the Tokugawa Shogunate and the Choshu Ishiin Shishi. The Tokugawa is in power right now and is more crueler to outsiders(who are called Gaijin) sinds the law that emperor Koumei regulated. The sonnõ joui "Revere the emperor, expel the foregein babarians"  
>The Choshu wants to allow the westerners into japan and learn from them.<br>Sakuma san is one of them, his motto is tōyō dōtoku, seiyō gakugei, wich means Eastern ethics, Western technical learning. The war between the two fractions started in 1853 and has continued until now.  
>Sakuma san asked me a lot of things about Holland, how it was to live there, what it looked like.<br>I awnser him like this "It is really green in Holland, and a lot of water. We build a lot of dyckes to keep the water from floading our country. Everywhere you look you see molens (mills). And Amsterdam, our capital is always buzzing with live" He listend to me with his fullest attention.  
>He was very excited to teach me about japan. Thanks to him I had learned more japanese}<p>

"Melissa san" someone said behind the sliding door of my room "Hai" I awnserd "You have a visitor"  
>'A visitor for me?' I thought I stood up from my low writing desk and walked towards the sliding door.<br>When I opend it a japanese man with long black hair hanging loosly around his shoulders stepped into the room. He almost bumped into me. He clearly did not expect me to be standing while opening the door. In japan a woman opend the door while kneeling and sitting besides the opening of the door so the guest can enter freely. Sakuma san said I should not do that, Because I was not Japanese. "Sumisasen" I stutterd "Its fine" the man said "Can I come in and talk with you"  
>"Hai" I said, and stepped aside for the man. He walked into the room, grabbed a sitting pillow and kneeled down in the middel of the room. I grabbed my pillow and sat dawn infront of him.<br>I put both my hands infront of me and let them touch eachoter while bowing lightly. Even though Sakuma san said they did not expect me to abide with japanese customs, I wanted to try the best I could "My name is Melissa van Rijn, I am pleased to meet you"  
>He did the same thing and said " the pleasure is all mine, my name is Katsura Kogoro"<br>Now a alarm bell went off inside my head. I had heard the name before. He was none other than the leader of the Choshu Isshin Shishi.  
>"Melissa san, I would like to thank you for coming here. It will be difficult for estern countries to jnderstand what is happening here. So I am very pleased that a Dutch woman like you is comimg here to record it all" he said beinning our conversation.<br>"No, I am honerd that you let me stay here and study. Ever sind I was small Nihon interested me. So to be here surrounded by samurai who are all willingly to talk to me an teach me is like a dream coming true"  
>"I am glad you feel save and comfortable here in Ikedaya, no in Kyoto. Right now it is not save"<br>"I am aware of that"  
>"Listen, Melissa san. Tonight at 20:00 a meeting will be held discussing the curent situation. I want you to note down everyting you here. Ofcourse you wont be visable present, you will sit in an other room behind a thin sliding door so you can hear everything"<br>I was stunned, I a western woman could listen to ther strategic meeting "I would be most honerd if I may listen and learn"  
>"Good, you will be guarded by a skilled ronin called Kawakami Gensai"<br>And with those words he stood up and left the room.  
>Tonight would be a night to remember.<p>

Im writing this chapter with the music from the legend of korra in the background. I was so sad when the show ended. I was screaming, crying and fangirling like hell in the final of LOK. It was/is a great show.  
>I will miss you Korra, <p>


	4. Chapter Ikedaya jiken 池田屋事件

Ikedaya jiken font face="Nimbus Mono L, monospace"span lang="zh-CN"池田事件/span/font

1864, July 8 Katsura san had said he would not be present and that he had other businesses to attend to so he left around 21:30 together with Sakuma san. With that the meeting immediately got a bit more boring. I was bizzy noting down what was said. I only looked up from my notes to look at the ronin sitting in the corner of the room. Kawakami Gensai was his name, he was 30 years old and was known as a hitokiri. If you split the word into Hito, human and kiri murder you would know what he was. He was a assasin for the Choshu Ishin Shishi. He was looking outside the windo, I followd his gaze towards the moon who shined bright in the night sky.  
>All of the sudden I heard a lot of noise behind the sliding door. Kawakami Gensai focused his gaze on the door while holding onto his Katana. The candles were blown out and it was pitch dark.<br>The noise of running foots was coming closer " Anybody who resist will be cut down!" Was yelled on the other side of the door "Its the shinsengumi!"  
>"Its the commander Kondou Isami and Tôdo Heisuke!"<br>"Shinsengumi" I wisperd. But before I could say anything else Kawakami Gensai coverd my mouth.  
>"Don't make a sound, I am gonna get you out of here alive" he said and he drew his katana.<br>The Shinsengumi was a group of ruthless samurai. They were known for there bloodlust and the most infamous one was the vice-commander Hijikata Toshizo. There trade mark was there light blue Haori (overcoat), there banner with the word sinscerety on it and the skill they possesed. Kawakami Gensai grabbed my bag with writing equipment and my camera and pushed them into my arms.  
>"Follow me" he said and he slid open the door.<br>Immediately a guy wearing a light blue haori came running towards us with his Katana raised. Kawakami Gensai dodged the first attack of the guy who swong his katana down. He then quickly attacked the side of the man and hit him. "Arrrrrg" the man screamed while colapsing. I held out his hand to me and I took it. I stapped over the body of the wounded man. We ran down the hallway with Kawakami Gensai cutting down everybody who stood in his way. It was my first time seeing samurai fight like this. There was a lot of blood and most of the light blue haori's the enemy wore were blood stained with either there own blood or from the Choshu enemy's. We kept on running, Kawakami Gensai did not finish off his enemy's, his only thought was to get me out of there as quick as possible. We ended up in the hallway wich leaded to the back garden. Kawakami Gensai had gabbed my brown leather boots and trew them to me.  
>"Run into the garden and as far as you can. Find my wife Misawa Teiko, she will take care of you" He said. I looked at him but his gaze was somewhere else.<br>"A western woman in Ikedaya what a suprise" somebody said I took a quick look before I ran away. The man standing there wore a light blue haori and had his Katana already unsheated. His haori was unstained by blood.  
>"You just missed al the fun Hijikata-san" Kawakami Gensai said The oni fuketaicho of the shinsengumi Hijikata Toshizo was standing against a hitokiri of the Choshu Isshin Shishi. This would be a battel of high caliber. I decided to watch where rpthis would go and hid in a corner. Kawakami Gensai made the first attack but it did not land. It was reflected by Hijikata's katana. Then Hijikata spun around Kawakami Gensai and hit his back. A red line appeard in the clothes of Kawakami Gensai. He fell to one knee and slashed forward. Hijikata's chest was gazed by his katana. He grinned and raised his katana. I had to save him, then my gaze fell on my camera.<br>I quickly installed my photo camera and took a quick shot. The flash blinded Hijikata for a moment's notice giving me and Kawakami Gensai the time to flee the battle.

I was somewhere in the street of Kyoto with no idea were to go. Kawakami Gensai had ran towards a other way.  
>Somewehere along the way I had put on my boots and put the wooden case wich holded my camera on my back. The bag with my diary was clenched in my fist. The photo I just took had come out beatifully. You could clearly see Hijikata with his katana ready to strike Kawakami Gensai. He was holding his katana above his head to block him. I put it away in my diary and began to write down what happend just now. I had just finished my last sentence when I head the sound of a katana being pulled out of its saya.<br>Without being given the time to react I felt the kisakki of the katana against my neck.  
>"Don't move" someone said I dropped my pencil and diary.<br>" I am sorry but you should have stayed in your own country. That way you would not have to die right now"  
>I felt the kisakki go away from my neck.<br>Whoever it was he would slash me from behind and I would die. A tear fell down my cheek. My journey would end this quickly and I only learned so littel. "Keinosuke stop!" somebody yelled The air of the katana was the only thing that touched my neck. I turned around to see a member of the shinsengumi, probably Keinosuke, crossing his katana with a other man. He did not wear a shinsengumi haoiri "Why stop me Kazama!" Keinosuke yelled "She is just a woman, we should bring her to Osaka and she can go back. She has nothing to do with our war"  
>" no way I am going back, there is so much to learn here!" I yelled Both man were suprised to hear me speak fluent Japanese. Although it had some loss ends I could still speak it very well. Thanks to mr Bruin and Sakuma-san.<br>The man, Kazama took his katana down and so did Keinosuke.  
>"You speak japanese" he said "Yes, I learned a lot in my home land"<br>"See she is a spie, we should kill her" Keinosuke yelled and he raised his Katana again.  
>Kazama blocked it and again the two man stood with there swords crossed. While there attentions was with eachother and not with me,I took down the wooden case and took the camera out of it. I put the case back on my back and turned towards the man.<br>"She is just a woman, is she word fighting your friend for" Keinosuke sissed "O Please do not fight over me" and I took my second picture of the night. The flash blinded the two man and I ran away.  
>"Alsof ik hier te pakken genomen zal worden, er is nog veel meer te ontdekken" I yelled in my nativ language. As if they will catch me here, there is a lot more to discover. "Shit" I heard them both say I ran as fast as I could "Wait!" They yelled.<br>Damm they are quick I thought when I looked behind me. They were closhing in on me. I took another picture to blind them. They lost sight again and they bumped into each other.  
>I could not help it but to laugh "You bitch wait up!" The man called Keinosuke yelled "I won't so SAYONARA!" I yelled and turned around a corner. The heels of my shoes slipped aay when I made the turn and I almost fell. I continued to run, or so was the plan because somebody grabbed my dress and trew me on the ground. I dropped my bad and it sprung open. All my pencils, pots of ink and blank books were spread out on the ground.<br>I head my two persuers behind me saying.  
>"Osu Torii -sama you got her"<br>I looked at the man who had trown me on the ground. It was a old men arojnd the age of 50. He had his blade sheated but looked down at me as kf he could kil me any moment.  
>"Keinosuke, Kazama who is she" he said. He did not asked it, he commanded a awnser.<br>"Probably a western whore who has escaped from Ikedaya"  
>Whore, did I hear that right. I got angry and said "Whore ,pardon me. I am a researcher. I will not stand such insolence towards me" and stood up when I said that.<br>" I may be a western woman but even I have honor. No it is because I am a western woman that I have my own honor. "  
>The old man lay his hand on the hilt of his Katana. A obvious treat. I should shut up or else.<br>"Go ahead kill me. I came to this land compleatly understanding the risks "  
>The old man unheated his katana and hit me in the neck with his hilt.<br>I fell to the ground but I did not hit it. Insead I was cated by the arms of Kazama. I slowly felt my consciousness slip away.  
>"Keinosuke go back to the Shinsengumi. Kazama take her stuff and her with you"<br>"Understood" they said. And I saw the blue haori of Keinosuke run away in the night as my consciousness slipped away compleatly.

Again writing with bck grohnd music. This time Nurarihyon no mago soundtracks. You should check out the anime and manga^^

Oni fuketaicho - demon vice-commander Saya- shed of a Katana Shinsengumi- search wikipedia. Its to good and to long to describe well Kisakki- tip of a Katana


	5. Chapter 4 the witch of the west 西の魔女

Witch of the west font face="Nimbus Mono L, monospace"span lang="zh-CN"西の魔女/span/font

1864, july 10

"Nnnnnng" right now that was the only sound I could produce. I looked around me but my vision was blurry. My neck hurt from the blow it recived from the hilt of that samurai's katana. I tried to stand up but I noticed I was bound. My hands were tied behind my back and my feet were tied together as well. My complete upper body was bound as well and very tight that was. Slowly my sight restored itself and I saw the room I was lying in. It was a tatami room with the doors slighty opend. I could look outside and see the beautifull garden. In it stood a very old sakura tree and I could hear the sound of water. But that wasn't the only sound I heard, far in the distance I heard childeren laugh. I closed my eye's and recalled what happend last night, I got separated from Kawakami Gensai. After that I met this idiotic pair of samurai and tried to escape from them. I ran into the old samurai and after that I got struck by him. It was clear as glass I was inprisoned by them. 'At least they put me in a futon' I thought.

Then all of the sudden the sliding door was opend more. I looked up and saw the young man I had met earlier that evening standing in the opening. "Kazama-sama right?" I said with a cracked voice and very carefully. He was a samurai and they demand high respect. He looked me straight in the eye, I noticed that his eyes were blackish blue. He walked straight towards me and kneeled down.  
>"Torii -sama wants to speak to you once you woke up"he said while pulling the blanket of me. He looked at the ropes restraining me and mumbled under his breath.<br>"Damm yatomaru, doesn't he know how to treat a lady" and he untied the ropes holding me, except the ones that held my hands behind my back. He stood up and said " you, stand up" "Anno, kazama-sama"  
>"What" He said " I'm afraid I cant, you see they even bound my feet together" I said to him He stood there for a second and seemed to think of something. Then he reached for my ankles. They had removed my shoes and socks befor they laid me down in the futon. Kazama saw the naked skin of my ankles and blushed.<br>I gave a slight laugther but quickly stopped at the angry look of Kazama.  
>With a slight blush remaining on his face he took the ropes of my feet. When they were lose he looked around the room and found what he was looking for. I followd his gaze and saw my belonings, even the ones I had left at Ikedaya. He grabbed my socks and walked towards me. He slightly grabbed my foot and started to put my sock on my feet.<br>I pulled my feet back and said.  
>"Kazama-sama, you really don't have to do that. I know that in japan touching another ones feet is seen as being lower than one. I can perfectly do this myself if you just take of the ropes binding me I..."<br>"And have you escape with your weird magic tricks like last night. I will do this and thats the end of this discussion"he said and continued to put on my socks.  
>He was struggeling with them and I couldn't help but think how inproper this was and if my mother would see me she would scold me.<br>"I feel like Cinderella" I said He looked at me questioningly "What is a shinderera " he said " it a fairy tale"  
>"Feari taru" " Otogibanashi, it a long one. Maybe I can tell it to you later"<br>"Maybe" he said " If you are allowd to live that is"  
>That remark brought me back to the reality of things. My live was in danger, for all I knew I could die this day. A tear ran down my cheek. I had promised mother that I would return to her, I was all she had left. And I had learnd nothing over this county or the people who live in here .<br>" ahum... Torii-sama is a good and honest leader. I am sure if you say that you will go home and never return he will let you go back to Nagasaki and back to your home country" Kazama said while fidgeting with the sleeve of his Kimono.  
>He helped me stand up and bound a long rope to the ropes holding my wrists. He then started to walk pulling me behind him. I looked around me as we walked over the wooden pathway. We were in the mountains outside the city that was for sure. It was clearly a samurai's mansion and it was very spacious. Now that I was outside I could hear more sounds in the distances. The voices of people talking, the kiaii screams of the warriors who were training, and the sound of people working. In the garden were two little boys training with there wooden katana's. They looked up and stared at me. The smaller one of the two tugged on the sleeve of the biggest one.<br>"Onii-chan thats the witch from the west right. The one who used the weird magic on Kazama nii-san and kei nii-san "  
>"Umn" he said whild nodding his head. I didn't noticed I had slowed down my pace and started to smile at the little boy's. A thug from the rope wich bound me and was held by Kazama, called me back to reality.<br>"Keep walking" Kazama said.  
>We enterd a room on the other side of the mansion. Right now it was empty, but with no doubt this room for sure would soon be occupaid by more people. "Tomoe-san" Kazama said.<br>A sliding door was opend revealing a woman sitting besides it. She wore a beautifull yellow kimono with a light blue obi. The kimono had the pattern of waves on the end of the kimono and the sleeves.  
>"Yes Kazama-san" she said in a quiet and feminine way.<br>"Could you inform your chichiue and his men that the witch has woken up"  
>"Yes undersood, Kazama-san" she said and close the sliding door again. Before it was closed completely she glanced over to me and looked me in the eye. Then she compleatly shut the door.<br>"Kazama-sama where am I exactly?" I asked the young samurai.

No awnser Then the sound of many foodsteps could be heard outside the sliding door. The woman named Tomoe had slided the door open and bowed slightly when the men enterd the room. The leading samurai whas the samurai who had struck me down that night.  
>They all sat down in two lines at the sides of the room. Torii, the old samurai sat down at platform that stood before a beautiful folding screen. There was a dragon painted on it surrounded by sakura . Kazama sat down slightly out of the line on the right side of Torii. I still stood in the middel of the room while all the samurai stared at me. I quickly kneeled down and bowed until my forehead touched the tatami.<br>"My name is Torii Yōzō, I am the south magistrate of kyoto. Who are you and what is your goal" he said. The last thing was something he didn't asked but demanded.  
>Slowly I rose a bid but I still looked down and started to talk " my name is Melissa van Rijn. I have come here to study the ways of the samurai and Bushido"<p>

"Study?" Torii said.  
>"Yes study. Ever sinds I was small Japan and the fighting class especially has interested me. So when I got the chance to study and learn in this country I took it with both hands."<br>"Even though you know this county is closed for Gajin"  
>"I am well aware of the risk, Torii-sama. But if we scientist let that get in our way then there would be no progress in the world" I repeated the words of my dear friend Mr Bruin. He was a friend of my father who supported our little family when he died. He is also the one who thought me about Japan. He just loved to travel the world to learn new medicine. I remember he would always bring me something from his travels.<br>"I will not run from my goal" For a moment all the vassels were silent and looked at Torii-sama. Who in his turn looked at me.  
>"We cannot let you live, young girl. I am sorry but we are in war and you are a woman of the enemy" he said and the vassels looked reliefed.<br>"Torii-sama!" Kazama yelled and he bowed his head until it thouched the ground.  
>" she is a woman have mercy on her" he said. I was suprised Kazama was actually pleading for my life. I followd his example and bowed as well.<br>"Please Torii-sama, I mean no harm. Please allow me to study I beg of you"  
>Torii-sama looked down and seemed to think a bit.<br>"Very well, we shall not kill you Melissa-san" he said eventually.  
>I felt the fear falling from my shoulders.<br>" but I have a few conditions" " Hai, please tell me the conditions" I said " one, you cannot leave this mountain, you will study in this village and if you leave it we will kill you.  
>Two, you will tell us everything you know about the Isshin Shishi.<br>And last there will always be someone with you when you walk around the village. And since Kazama-kun has pleaded so passionate for you life I will give him that responsibility" " but Torii-sama, I have my other duties and..."  
>" No buts, this is my order and thats a final" and with that Torii-sama stood up and left. After him all the vassels stood up, suprisingly none of them went against his order or even protested. After everyone else had left the room Kazama walked towards me and undid the ropes holding together my wrists.<br>"It seems like you will lkve to see another sunrise" he said.  
>"I am sorry Kazama-sama, for burdening you like this" I awnserd him apologetic.<br>"Don't apologise, This is a duty entrusted to me so I shall do it"  
>"Yoroshiku onegaishimasu" I said bowing to him as deep as I could.<br>Kazama kneeled infront of me and bowed his head a little.  
>"Thinking of it, we have never introduced ourselves properly. My name is Katakama Kazama, a samurai vessel of lord Torii" he said.<br>I raised my head and introduced myself as well.  
>"My name is Melissa van Rijn, student japanese history and medicine" "Kazama-sama, chichiue says that our guest has to stay in your house" the woman called Tomoe said through the sliding screen.<br>Kazama loked shocked and wanted to say something but didn't do it in the end.  
>"Alright" he said and he stood up. "Folow me, I will help you carrying your belongings to my home"<br>"Understood" and I stood up as well.

We walked back to the room I woke up in before, and on the way bakc we passed the childeren again. This time I waved at them and they waved back confused. We reached the room and grabed my stuff. Kazama dropped my suitcase with clothes wich jumped open speading my cloths all over the floor. Hastly he tried to put them back with a red face, I couldn't tell hem that those were my nightgowns and underwear. It would be to much for the poor man, who seemed more honest and innocent than when I first thought. Quickly we left Torii's house and walked into the village. Torii's mansion whas the biggest house in there, but you could still make out the houses of the normal villagers and those who fought and served.

We reached Kazama's house wich looked like a small house for a samurai. It was as least four times bigger than a farmers house though and it had a small garden in the middel of the house. The garden whas the center and the house was a frame around it, that was the best way to discribe the house.  
>Kazama stopped a moment before entering his house.<br>" promis me you will not use your magic in this village" He said dead serious. At first I did not knew what he meant, but then it occured to me.  
>"You mean the camera?" "If that is how you call that spell than yes"<br>"You got me wrong kazama-sama, that is no magic. I will show you later okay" I said with my best smile.  
>He frowned at me, stepped out of his geta and stepped onto the wooden veranda. I sat down first and pulled off my shoes, those were not really practical right now. I followd him into his house, towards a room facing the garden.<br>"This is the guest room, I will call you when dinner is ready. Also, KOHAKU, KOHANA come greet our guest!" All of the sudden I heard a pair of small feet run over the veranda. "Kazama-niisama, welcome home" they said in harmony. Before me appeared two little children, a boy and a girl.  
>"Kohaku, Kohana this is Melissa-san, she will be staying with me for a while"<br>"nice to meet you Melissa-neesama" they said at the same time.  
>"Kohaku and Kohana are orphans, in return for coocking for me and cleaning the house they get food and some money so they can live"<br>I kneeled down and looked at the little childeren.  
>"Small amber, small flower. What a beautiful names you have" the little girl, Kohana had hidden herself behind her brother at the sight of me but came out of hiding when I stretched my hand to shake there hands. Of course they didn't knew the gesture and jet again I had to explain to someone how we greeted one another in my country.<br>"She's pretty , nè Kazama-niisama is she goining to become your wife?" Kohaku asked. The sudden question made my cheeks blush and besides me Kazama did the same.  
>"O..o..ofcourse not, she's well... she is a prisoner, yes a prisoner. But sinds she is a woman we cannot treat her rough so she will stay here for the time being" Kazama explained quick.<br>The two childeren looked shocked at the word prisoner and the boy tugged my sleef.  
>"Onee-sama aren't you scared?"Kohaku said.<br>"I am, I am terribly scared. But I don't want to let fear stand in my way" I answered him.  
>"Don't you have to unpack your stuff Melissa-san" Kazama said.<br>"A yes, I will. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu" I said bowing to him.  
>"Kochira koso" he wisperd soft.<br>Did I hear that right did he say that.  
>I smiled and went into my room, closing the sliding door behind. I head his footsteps go away followd by those of Kohaku and Kohana. I sighed and smiled, my new life here had just begon.<br>_

Sama: used to speak to someone higer than yourself, lord or lady San: used to speak to someone of your own status, mr or mrs O nii-sama: elder brother, very respectful. O nee-sama: elder sister, very respectfull.  
>Chichue: father, very respectfull Yoroshiku onegaishimasu: please take care of me Kochira koso: please take care of me as well °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Whayaa it has been a while, and a lot more people have saved my story, arigatto gozaimashita (bows polite) please keep on following the adventures of Melissa, Kazama and Keinosuke. Yes that guys will be tbere soon again. These three are my main cast. If you have any questions, suggestions or something to say, tell me. I just love your comments.<br>~shiroyuki


	6. chapter 5 kazoku

**Chapter 5 Kazoku (Family) ****家族**

1864, july 13.

Dear dairy

I was resting in my room after I told Torii everything I knew about the isshin shishi. He and his retainers had listen very carefully as I told them everything. I felt like betraying the people who took care of me,but there was not much to tell them. After all Katsura-san was carefull enough not to tell me anything important. The only thing I could tell them was who had brought me into this country and where I began my journey.

Sakuma Shôzan, the old samurai who had brought me ashore. The mentioning of his name raised more than one eyebrow. Apparently he was a well know docter in kyoto. Torii had to laugh saying that that stubborn old docter will do anything to learn about western medicine. He wondered why he agreed to help me, and when I explained why a silence befell the group. I explained to them that mr Bruin had given me the opportunity to come here, and that he was te one who knew Sakuma. After some more discussion between the samurai they asked me how I knew Mr Bruin.

When I told them he was my teacher they all looked suprised at me. In the blink of a eye the subject was changed and the questions about me personally started. Where I was raised, how old I was and if I was indeed a student medicine. I told them I was 18 years old and indeed a student medicine, and history for that matterd. Torii looked at me with disbelief and said something about why my husband allowed something like this, at wich I awnserd that I was unmarried. Now and that is where the real commotion started. Kazama, who had been sitting silent in a corned flushed bright red at my remark and the retainers around him began to tease him. Something about living with a otome. He brushed there remarks away but I could cleary see he was flustered.

"Melissa-san, dinner is ready" Kazama said behind the sliding screen, and his foorsteps walked away.

"Wait, Kazama-sama" I yelled and ran out of the room. Kazama stood still and looked at me.

"What is it, Melissa-san" he said kind.

"I have a favour to ask of you"

" what do you want"

"Well if it is not to much trouble, I would like to see some places of the village, the places you use to train and how you all live" I asked him.

He looked at me and sighed,

"Promis you won't use magic" he said dead serious.

I started to laugh again.

" it is not magic, and I will show you what it is okay" I said to him.

"I will trust you on that, do not shame my trust" he awnserd me.

" of course, thank you very much for trusting me" I said smiling and I walked towards the living room, with Kazama following me.

After dinner Kazama took me to a field just outside the village. It was late in the mid day and the sky started to colour red. The wind blew soft and hot through the air.

A lot of man were standing at the side watching two boys from around the age of 12 or 13 fight a friendly fight. They fought using a bokkum, a wooden katana. The old men were cheering and gambling on the boys. When I watched closer I saw Torii standing between the man and talking with his retainers with a smile on his face. It was the side of a samuari warlord I had never seen before, the side of a family man. One who cared for his people and smiled just as much.

"KIAIIII" a loud scream starteld me and drew my attention back to the two boys fighting. One of the boys charged with his bokkum raised towords the other. The other boy lowerd his sword besides his hip, and held the bokkum horizontal.

"He is holding it wrong, watch what will happen" Kazama said to me and pointed to the boy.

The boy with the raised bokkum swong it down towards the boy who had his lowerd. The other boy swinged his bokkum upwards to block the strike, but when the bokkum made contact the boy who had swinged upwards lost his grip on the bokkum and it slipped out of his hand. The boy was unprotected and received a full blow from his opponents bokkum.

"Ite na mô" he yelled and rubbed his sore head.

"Hahaha, good stike boy, good strike" A faint familliar voice said. When I found the owner of the voice I was suprised and scared at the same time. It was the man I met when I ran from Kazama, Keinosuke. Keinosuke saw us and made his way towards us.

"Kazama good to see you still alive and well" Keinosuke said and he hugged Kazama. Kazama hugged back and I was shocked because of the familiarity between those two.

"You as well ao haori, good to see you alive" Kazama said smiling.

Than Keinosuke looked at me and laid his hand on Kazama's shoulder.

"They forced you to baby sit her I heard" he said.

"And I am very grateful he does, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Melissa van Rijn" and I bowed.

"Eee, she speaks Japanese and she knows manners" Keinosuke awnserd me.

"It appears she know them better than you Keinosuke" A other known voice said. From behind me a man apeared.

"Sakuma-san!" I said suprised. He was the last person I expected to see here.

"It is good to see you still alive and well, Melissa-san"

"You as well, but may I ask why and how in the world you are here. Aren't you, well"

" Don't say anymore Melissa-san. I am somewhat of a neutral party, I believe in tōyō dōtoku, seiyō gakugei. Westeners have good technology, but there way of live doesn't intrest me"

Now I knew why he had helped me, he wanted to learn from me as well.

"But young lady, I am very glad to see you alive after the Ikedaya incident. I have brought you there and it would have shamed my name had I let my guest die"

"Thank you very much for your concern" I said.

" I heard a interesting story from my son" Sakuma said, besides him Keinosuke stiffend a bit.

"That you blinded him and Kazama-kun with some sort of magic"

"Otou-san, you didn't have to say that" Keinosuke said.

"Wait, Keinosuke is your son Sakuma-san?" I asked with disbelief.

"Yes he is, are you suprised" he said with a smile, he was obviously very proud of his son.

"Just a bit, and awnsering your question. It wasn't magic I used it was this" I said and lifted the wooden case wich held my camera.

"What is it?" Sakuma asked curious.

"It is a camera, a device used to take pictures" I awnserd his question. He was obviously interested.

"What is a picture?" Kazama asked.

"Something like a painting, only quicker and more accurate"

" that sounds very interesting" he said eyeing the case.

"If you would like to I can take a picture from you " I offerd him.

"You can do that, yes I would love that" he said smiling.

"Well than, just stand over there while I prepare the camera"

"Prepare, don't you just flash that thing" Keinosuke said.

"No, I have to set it up otherwise the picture gets blurry and not right, the one I took from you and Kazama is also not very sharp"

While I readied the camera Sakuma just stood there as I instructed.

"Keinosuke-san, why not join him. It will be a wonderful picture of a father and son" I said pulling my head out of the black blanket that was part of the camera.

" no way, that thing will suck out my soul" Keinosuke said.

"Don't be childish, ofcourse I will not do that" I said to him. Reluctand Keinosuke stood besides his father.

''alright, I'm done preparing. Don't be scared of the flash that follows. It compleatly normal'' I said winking.

I put my head back under the black blanket and grabbed the controler to take the picture.

''now smile'' I said. Both of them smiled and I took the picture. The picture came out of the camera and I flapped it a few times before looking at it. Sakuma and Keinosuke came closer and looked at the picture.

''whoa it's really awesome. Is that a tecnologie from you country?'' Keinosuke said excited.

''great isn't it. thanks tot his device I can show everyone waiting at home what this country is like'' I said enthausiast.

''if you ever get home, woman. Do not forget that you are a prisoner here, although I would have killed you personally'' Keinosuke said stern al of the sudden. This person switched from happy to cold at a moments notice.

''don't scare her like that Keinosuke, thanks to her I can now show off my precious son to other people without you being there'' Sakuma said putting the picture in his kimono.

''p..pp…precious'' Keinosuke stutterd becoming red.

''I'm really proud of you my son, keep on fighting for your own believes'' Sakuma said putting his hand on Keinosuke's shoulder. At that moment you could really see those two were father and son.

''those two'' kazama said '' are really found of one another, they are both subborn as a boar as well. When Keinosuke put on the blue haori his father was first against it, but ever sinds a big fight between those two,Sakuma-san has accepted the path Keinosuke wants to walk. It is a bloody path but if it's his dream he should follow it and die without regrets'' kazama finished his sentance and looked at his friend.

'' looking at those two reminds me of me and my father'' I said and thought back at those happy times.

''he must be quite worried if you're on the other side of the world'' Kazama said.

'' I do not know that, he maybe is. But he is closer than you think after all he died on japanse soil'' I said.

Kazama looked shocked at me and than bowed.

''I am so sorry, it was insensitive of me''

''it's alright Kazama-sama. It happend a long time ago'' I said smiling a faint smile.

''oto-san, please stop you are messing up my hair'' keinosuke said when Sakuma ruffed through his hair.

''realy father and a little kid'' kazama said smiling as well


End file.
